In August 2022, a series of storms hit La Plaza Park in the heart of Cotati. Blowing into town came a whirlwind of joy encountering sneaker waves of people wanting to get together and enjoy live music again, all combining with an avalanche of musical talent on five stages around the park. It all made for a special day of a community coming together, while experiencing a multi-cultural experience of varied genres and styles of accordion music.
The music never stopped at the festival, as people were zydeco dancing at Spancky’s, polka dancing in the big tent, playing with friends in the Jam Tent, watching the children play at the Church of the Oaks, catching the latest Avant Garde act on the Rays Deli stage, or just taking in Cory Pesaturo and Alex Meixner playing together in a once in a lifetime performance on the big stage.
The sponsors of this year’s show came out in force (the Community Voice being one of them) to help support the event this year, as there were a lot of Covid ramifications to overcome. There was a feeling that this is a year to really give the event an extra boost, to the point that even KPIX and KGO were calling and asking for current footage to broadcast.
Food, beer, and wine were flowing aplenty, and one of the most telling signs of the weekend was that all the 70 plus vendors were happy. People like Ginny Mac flew in from Texas for her last big gig before taking off after the show as the newest member of Asleep at the Wheel, and she was ecstatic at the quality of sound that the sound crew produced. Matthias Mattzke, one of the world’s most elite international accordionists, who flew in from Germany, was overwhelmed by how appreciative and enthusiastic the crowd was.
Behind the scenes, the Covid ramifications and supply line problems were rearing their ugly heads. We found that there was a shortage of CO2 and there was none for the beer truck. At the last minute the 8 Ball and The Tradewinds stepped in and supplied the cannisters. There were vendors and musical acts that were cancelling because of Covid in the home, but each time quality replacements suddenly showed up such as New Orleans Legend Johnny Sansone. Recology was hesitating and re-thinking their sponsorship of such events, and before we knew it, they were back with full sponsorship of the port-a-lets and garbage. As a result, we are proud to announce that we will be teaming up with Recology next year to make the festival totally green!
The volunteers were out in full force, as the Thomas Page Academy was manning the gates, Penngrove Elementary manning the shuttle, The Cotati/ Rohnert Park Education Foundation handling all the money, The Cotati/ Rohnert Park Nursery School Co-op as the security and the Rancho Cotate Music Department maintaining the park. What a stellar team and what a group of community-oriented people coming together to show how a community can unite around a combined common cause, our kids and music. I say kids because the proceeds of about $20,000.00 this year will be going to local nonprofit youth groups and educational organizations.
We, at the Cotati Accordion Festival, want to thank all the people who came out this weekend to enjoy our show. We know it was a bit warm. We know that parking can be rough. We know that we create some congestion downtown. We also know that the people who brave all that and come out to the festival are the most cordial, enthusiastic, music lovers one will ever find. Thank you for coming to the “Greatest Accordion Festival on Earth”….at least in our minds.
On a final note, the Cotati Accordion Festival has not yet completed this summer’s show. On September 25 we are in a partnership with the Green Center at SSU in the presentation, from Ukraine, of DakaHabrakha. I know our production team is not going to miss this incredibly original dance/act presentation all done to accordion music.
Photo: Special non-accordion playing guest of Corey Pesaturo, violinist Leah Zeger during their performance of Vivaldi’s “Winter”, for which they received a standing ovation.
Photo: Cory Pesaturo, accordionist extraordinaire, looks towards his special non-accordion playing guest during their performance Sunday at the Cotati Accordion Festival.
Photos by Robert Grant
